Baseball: The home stretch

Thanks to last week’s rain and next week’s TAKS testing, this is the most critical week of the baseball regular season.

Many teams are playing three district games, and some are playing four total.

Because of TAKS next week, almost all are only playing one game next week to end the regular season.

What does this mean for district playoff races? It means in a tight district such as 27-4A, Boerne Champion and Steele began the week in the middle of the pack, with a chance to finish the week anywhere from first place to last place.

Both helped themselves out with victories yesterday, crippling the chances for New Braunfels Canyon, Seguin and Clemens in the process.

Reagan and Churchill have been established as the class of the area and the district. There’s a huge race for fourth brewing, though.

The key games to watch are Smithson Valley vs. Churchill tonight, Madison vs. Reagan and New Braunfels vs. MacArthur next Friday.

Johnson and MacArthur still have Reagan and New Braunfels left to play, and neither the Rattlers or Unicorns are going to put it in neutral. Reagan still has a district title to shoot for, and New Braunfels can’t afford to slump going into the playoffs.

District 27-5A

In: Corpus Christi Carroll, King and Victoria Memorial.

Still alive: Judson (5-6), Wagner (4-6)

Really outside chance: East Central (3-8)

If East Central beast Judson tonight, it can stay in the race, but still has to finish with Wagner and Memorial.

Judson swept Wagner in the regular season and does have the tiebreaker.

District 28-5A

In: O’Connor (12-1), Stevens (11-2),

Almost in: Clark (9-5), Jay (8-5)

Needs help: Marshall (7-7)

Marshall and Jay face off next Friday. If Marshall can beat Stevens and if Jay loses once or if Jay loses twice, the Rams stay alive.

Clark and Marshall split, but the Cougars would need an epic collapse against Taft and Holmes to miss the playoffs.

District 27-4A

In: Alamo Heights (8-2), Kerrville Tivy (6-3)

Inside track: Boerne Champion (5-4), Steele (5-5)

Still alive: Everybody

Clemens (3-6) was our No. 1 ranked team after a 15-0 start. Now it’s in danger of finishing last in the playoffs. New Braunfels Canyon (3-6) and Seguin (3-7) are still battling, but this one could actually be sewn up before next Friday.

District 28-4A

In: Burbank (11-0), Kennedy (9-2), Edison (8-3)

In the hunt: Brackenridge (7-4)

Clinging to hope: Lanier (5-6).

If Brackenridge beats Lanier on Thursday, the district is pretty much settled.

District 29-4A

In: Uvalde (8-1), Medina Valley (8-2)

In the hunt: Harlandale (5-4), Southside (4-5), Floresville (5-5)

Harlandale and Floresville both split with Southside. Harlandale faces Floresville tonight. We’ll have to wait until after tonight to figure out who has the best shot.

Harlandale was tied for first two weeks ago, before dropping three straight games.